Bulkhead for tunnels and the like.



G. W. JACKSON. BULKHEAD PoR TUNNELS AND THB LIKE APPLICATION FILED APR.28,190B.

Patented Nov 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 G. W. JACKSON. BULKHEAD FOR TUNNBLS AND THE LIKE. APPLIGATION FILED APR. 28,1908.

Patented Nov. 16.1909.

2 SHEETSwSHEET 2.

...MHH

GEORGE W. JACKSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BULKHEAD FOR TUNNELS AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented NOV. 16, 1909.

Application filed April 28, 1908. Serial No. 429,620.

To all whom tt may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. JACKSON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bulkheads for Tunnels and the Like; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the numerals of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to a novel bulkhead adapted for use in tunnels and like excavations, it being arranged to extend across the bore of the tunnel to cut off coinmunication of one section of the tunnel from another in order to isolate a section of the tunnel. For instance, it may be desired to employ said bulk-head to cut off or isolate a section or length of a tunnel in case of a leakage through a broken wall of the tunnel from an overhead body of water in order to protect the tunnel while the break is being repaired, or in order to temporarily protect the tunnel while erecting a more substantial bulk-head in the tunnel where the leakage is more serious.

Among the objects of my invention is to provide a light, simple and portable bulkhead wliich may be quickly thrown across the bore of a tunnel or the like to quickly cut off a flooded section of the tunnel from the other parts of the tunnel and to hold back the water until a more substantial bulk-liead may be constructed, preparatory to repairing the break in the tunnel wall. In some instances, where the break in the tunnel wall is slight, the bulk-head herein shown may constitute in itself the only bulkhead required for cutting off communication from a damaged section of the tunnel to the other parts thereof while the broken wall is being repaired.

A bulk-head embodying my invention embraces, iii general terms, a rigid imperforate frame which is adapted to be placed across i the bore of the tunnel and is made of the i,

same general contour but of less dimensions than said bore, and is formed at its margins with a hollow flexible rim which is adapted to be expanded against the inner walls of the tunnel to form a water tight joint hetween the frame and said tunnel walls. The l frame itself may be made hollow to receive an intlating or expanding medium which presses the hollow ilexible rim outwardly against the tunnel wall. The flexible hollow inflatable rim may be pressed outwardly against the tunnel wall either by the pneumatic action of a body of air forced thereinto, or it may be inrlated or pressed outwardly by the expanding action of a substance which is placed in the hollow bulkhead when dry and which is thereafter eX- panded by moisture applied thereto to innate the rim. The said bulkhead is held against the force of a body of water acting against one side thereof by means of braces placed between the other side of the bulkhead and the tunnel wall. The said bulkhead inay be used either in a finished tunnel or in a tunnel in course of construction.

It is herein shown in connection with a tunnel having finished concrete walls.

As shown in the drawings z-Fignre l illustrates a cross-section of a completed tunnel showing one forni of my improved bulkhead in place therein. F ig. 2 is a vertical section thereof. Figs. 3 and Aiare detail sections taken on lines 3-3 and 4-/l, respectively, of F ig. l. Fig. 5 illustrates a cross-section of a tunnel showing another forni of the bulk-head. Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical section thereof. Figs. 7 and 8 are detail sections, taken on lines 7-7 and 8-8, respectively, of Fig. 5.

As shown in Figs. l to 4 of the drawings, the bulk-head l0 comprises a hollow frame consisting of two parallel, rigidly connected, laterally spaced sheet metal side walls or plates 1l, ll, and a hollow marginal, flexible rim l2 which is attached at its margins to the margins of said plates 11 and is adapted for engagement with the inner faces of the tunnel walls. Said hollow frame is made of less diameter than the cross-section of the tunnel bore and the hollow, flexible rim 1Q is sufliciently full that when expanded or inflated itis pressed closely against the inner faces of the tunnel walls and provides an elfective packing or seal between the rigid portion of the frame and said tunnel walls. Said marginal, inflatable rim may be made of rubber, canvas or the like. It

l comprises a strip of the selected material which overlaps at its margins 15 the margins of the side plates of the frame, and

. tained in the hollow frame.

said margins of the strips are clampedbe,

tween the margins of the side walls or plates of said frame and reinforcing strips or bars 16 and 17 which are fixed to saidy frame,

means by which the bulk-head may be sup-- ported on two parallel timbers 20, 20 extending transversely across the Hoor of the tunnel. The other reinforcingand clamping bars 16 may be made plain or unfianged. The said side plates or walls 11 of the bulkhead frame are furtherl reinforced -by vertical angle bars 22, 22 fixed to the outer side of said side plates by rivets or the like. The side walls or plates ofsaid hollow frame are connected rigidly together at a fixed distance apart by means ofl bolts 241 extending through the side plates and spacing sleeves 25- which abut at their ends against the inner faces of the side plates and through which the bolts extend.,

As shown in Figs. 1 to t, inclusive, the inflatable marginal rim of the bulk-head is pressed outwardly against the walls of the tunnel by the pressure of a body ofair main- The air is designed to be introduced into said hollow frame by means of an air forcing device (not shown.) the hose of which is adapted to be connected with an inlet nipple 30 which extends through the side wall of the hollow frame. The hollow frame may also be provided with a suitable exhaust nipple 31 through which air may be exhausted from the frame without detaching the air inlet pipe of the air forcing device fromV the inlet nipple.

The bulk-head is supported in place against the pressure ofwater acting on one side thereof'by means of braces 35, 35 which engage at their inner ends suitable pockets or shoulders formed on one side of the bulkhead, and engage at their outer ends notches formed in the concrete walls of the'tunnel.

In the use of the bulk-head it is placed in anv upright position on the timbers 20 or other suitable supports on the fioor of the tunnel before the flexible marginal rim is inflated. Thereafter air under pressure is forced into the hollow bulk-head to inflate or expand theV rim against the tunnel walls and the braces are placed to support the bulkhead' against water pressure acting on the inner side thereof. lVhen the bulk-head is thus set and braced it affords means for temporarily holding the flow of water past the same and thus permits the work of erecting a permanent bulk-head2 in rear of the same to proceed unhampered by the presence of water in the tunnel'. 1t will, of course,

`be understood that in the event of an excessive low of water in the tunnel the water will; be pumped from the isolated section of the tunnel. If the break in the tunnel wall occursV at a distance from the blind end of the tunnel two `bulk-heads will be required to isolate the broken section of the tunnel, one at each side of the break thereof. A valved tube 40 may be employed to draw the water from one side of the bulk-head to the other when desired. Said tube may be provided with a fitting 41 for connection with the induction pipe of a pump.

1n the construction shown in Figs. 5 to 8, inclusive, the inflatable rim of the bulk-head is pressed outwardly or infiated through the expanding action of a substance el which is placed while in a dry state in the hollow frame and is afterward expended by the applicationof water thereto. r1`he said body of expanding' material may be made of any cellular material, such as cornstalk pith or other vegetable fiber. Vater to expand said substance is introduced into the hollow frame through a nipple 1G, normally closed by a cap 47. One of the side plates 11 of the latter form of bulk-head is provided with a manhole that is closed by a cover L18 which is fixed over said openings by bolts 19. The removal of saidy manhole cover affords access to the hollow frame to permit the insertion and removal of said expanding medium'. The flexible, inflatable rim 50 of the bulk-head shown in Fig. 5 may be made of two strips 5l of canvas or like material which are attached to the rigid plates of said bulkshead in the same manner as previously described. In other respects, except as hereinabove mentioned, the construction shown in Figs. 5 to 8, inclusive, is generallythe same as that shown in the previously described construction and similar parts bear like reference numerals.

In both of the constructions described it will be observed' that the rigid frame of the bulk-head proxiniates in form and dimensions the cross section of the tunnel, so that the edges of the frame lie closely adjacent to the tunnel walls. This arrangement insures that the hollow flexible rim will be firmly supported against the tunnel walls with a maximum width of contact between the periphery of the rim and said walls when said rim is expanded or infiated as will r be clear from an inspection of Figs. 2, 3 and 6. This large contact surface insures, not only a. water-tight fit between the tunnel walls and the bulk-head, which prevents the A leakage of water past the device, butv also affords a frictional connection of the device with the tunnel walls which aids greatly tov hold the device fixedly in place against the weight of a body of water backedv up against the same. -f

It will be understood that other structural changes maybe made without departing` from the spirit of myl invention and I do not wish to be limited to the construction hereinA shown except as hereinafter made the subject of specific claims.

l claim as my invention z l. A bulk-head for tunnels and the like, comprising a hollow frame, or casing, which proximates in 'form and dimensions the cross section of the bore ot the tunnel and provided with a hollow, inflatable rim in open communication with the casing, and means tor admitting an intlating medium to the casing and to the rim for expanding the rim outwardly against the tunnel walls.

2. A bulk-head for tunnels and the like comprising a frame or casing consisting of two rigidly connected plates which proximate in torni and dimensions the cross sec tion ot the bore of the tunnel, a marginal rim adapted for contact with the tunnel walls comprising a flexible strip attached at its margins to the margins of the plates and arranged to be supported by said plates immediately adjacent to the tunnel walls, and means 'for expanding the rim outwardly against the tunnel walls.

3. A bulk-head for tunnels and the like comprising an imperforate frame which proximates in form and dimensions the bore ot' the tunnel and a flexible, expansible, hollow rim adapted for contact with the tunnel walls and supported immediately adjacent to the tunnel walls by the frame, and braces arranged to extend between one side of the :trame and the bottom and side walls of the tunnel, substantially as specied.

fl. The combination with a bulk-head for tunnels and the like provided with an expansible rim adapted tor engagement with the wall of the tunnel, and flanged bars attached to the lower side of said bulk-head and affording means :tor supporting the bulk-head in a vertical position.

5. A bulk-head for tunnels and the like comprising a hollow frame consisting of rigidly connected side plates and an intlatable rim comprising a iiexible strip overlapping at its margins the margins of said side plates, and reinforcing bars attached to said plates and between which and the plates the margins ot said rim strip are clamped.

6. A bulk-head for tunnels and the like comprising a hollow frame consisting of rigidly connected side plates, a flexible rim connected with the margins ot' said side plates, means whereby an expanding medium may be admitted to said hollow frame, and a water draw-off pipe extending through the hollow frame for drawing water from one side of the bulk-head to the other.

n testimony, that l claim the foregoing as my invention l atiix my signature in the resence of witnesses, this ninth day ot' April A. D. 1908.

GEORGE vw. JACKSON.

Witnesses:

J. C. MOORE, K. CLUxroN, G. N. LAUTH, E. L. HEFFEMAN. 

